


Ballad of the Serpent

by GalekhXigisi



Series: The Tails of The Serpent Prince and Princess [4]
Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Coming Out, Domestic Fluff, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, I Die By My Own Sword, Jughead Jones Needs a Hug, M/M, Multi, Not Beta Read, Past Rape/Non-con, Past Relationship(s), Polyamory, Teen Pregnancy, Trans Jughead Jones
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-02
Updated: 2019-05-02
Packaged: 2020-02-16 00:22:26
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,319
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18680290
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GalekhXigisi/pseuds/GalekhXigisi
Summary: The one time Jughead willingly tells someone that Jellybean is his and the three times he doesn't.





	Ballad of the Serpent

**Author's Note:**

  * For [SnowFlakeWrites](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SnowFlakeWrites/gifts).



> Aye, yo, so, untagged ships because the only ones that matter here are Bughead. Untagged ships are Cheryl/Toni, Veronica/Reggie/Archie, and Sweet Pea/Fang/Kevin. 
> 
> This is the fourth part of a series. To summarize, Jughead had Jellybean when he was 12. The entire G&G storyline is resolved and Gladys is the fuck out of the picture.

Within the first few days of Jughead being back home, the entirety of Riverdale had learned that wherever Jughead was  _ (if not at school), _ there was a gigantic possibility that Jellybean hovered nearby, attached to her father’s hip. There were soft moments, ones where the two sat in the back of La Bonne Nuit, Veronica and Reggie somewhere along the way, sharing information about their days or passing a plate of fries around. Betty had taken to the girl within an instant, mothering her just as much as Jughead was, even if the two hadn’t exactly realized it. She often joined just as commonly. 

 

Now, though, Jughead sits with his hands folded. Pops stood behind the register as the Shoppe was shutting down. He knew about their secret, had been told the day after Archie and Jughead had gotten back. It was sort of like a last resort, quick and simple confirmation that everything that was happening was  _ actually _ happening. Pops had taken it just as well as he possibly could have, passing Jughead his plate silently and letting the boy sit there and stew in silence as everything set it. He had known Jughead since he was a child, he had known him when he disappeared for so long. This had been but a small surprise for the man. 

 

Jellybean takes a bite of her fries, spewing about some girl at school named Sam, one that she seemed to be taking up her interests just as quickly as she. However, She pauses, brows furrowing as she asks, “Are you okay, Juggie? You look sad.” Her words are simple and quick, as they always were, so full of emotion and concern. 

 

Jughead quirks his eyebrows. “Actually, Jellybean, I’ve been meaning to tell you something.” 

 

The girl straightens, eyes wide with curiosity, glimmering in the low light. It’s such a different posture from how she was sitting only seconds ago, attention shifting from one subject to another in a matter of seconds, movements large and scattered. Now, she’s just as engrossed with him as he would be with a murder mystery document or she would be with her shows on television. Her eyes just widen more, all raging for answers. 

 

“I’m not… actually your brother? I’m your dad, kind of?” He isn’t sure how to go about telling her this. “I mean, you came from me-” 

 

“Can I call you dad,” she blurts, a wide smile on her face. She’s on her knees in the seat, hands planted on the table and top half of her body thrust forward. Her pigtails move with her in her excitement. The instant Jellybean realizes she’s shaking the table, though, she pauses. She isn’t any less excited, no, instead just stopping from jumping around. 

 

Jughead can feel tears welling up in his eyes, though he pauses. He wipes his face, a smile crossing his lips as he nods slowly. “Yeah, yeah, but just when it's me and FP, okay? Or Archie and his dad.” 

 

She nods, stars in her eyes. Their conversation once again fills the void, though it now seems to be more so Jellybean voicing her excitement about being able to call Jughead her father. Pops’ cool expression aids in the calm exterior he holds as he slides a plate of fries passively to the two, smiling through the night. 

 

-

 

In hindsight, Jellybean really didn’t  _ mean  _ for the Pretty Poisons/Southside Serpents  _ (they had yet to find a name after becoming a mutual group) _ to find out her true relations to Jughead. With her commonly hanging with her  _ “brother,” _ there was sure to be a slip-up or two, ones where she would call him dad. The first time had been in front of  _ everyone, _ which had thankfully just been pushed off as an accident since Jellybean had promptly flushed crimson the instant she realized. 

 

The second, though, had been questionable when she had done it in front of the two groups, when it was just a few of the teenagers and his own father. It had, once again, been pushed aside as Jellybean apologized, confused as to why she had even done it in the first place. Jughead was beyond thankful that the group had just accepted it without any hesitation whatsoever. 

 

The third time, though, he clearly won’t have any luck. The third time, he’s laying with Sweet Pea, Fangs, Kevin, Cheryl, and Toni, his  _ “sister” _ perched on the small of his back. Jughead lays on the bed, stomach and face both down as Toni discusses the best way to peel a banana. He’s not sure how they got to it, but they were there and Toni was implying that you open it from the top while Sweets and Fangs both argued you should open it from the bottom. 

 

“Just eat the whole thing, peel and all,” Jughead suggests, an arm extended halfheartedly while the other stays tucked under his chin, elbows pressed to the bed. 

 

The other’s eyes widened, all looking at him. The only two that didn’t share shocked horror were Cheryl and Jellybean. Jellybean lets out a laugh, gently papping his shoulderblade. “Ewie, Dad, that’s gross,” she giggles, before pausing suddenly as she realizes what she said. A soft, “Sorry, I didn’t mean that,” leaves her within a moment’s notice.

 

“What’s up with you calling Jughead Dad so much,” Toni asks without thinking out the question. It’s not harsh, nor does it demand to be answered. It just hangs in the air. 

 

Eventually, Jughead answers, “That’s because I am… Sort of?” 

 

“You knocked someone up,” Cheryl bellows within an instant. 

 

Sweet Pea scoffs. Jughead doesn’t comment on the scoff. The other had all the rights to his actions, he had known the Jones family better than his own, after all. Instead, the Serpent King replies within an instant, “No! I didn’t knock anyone up!  _ I _ was knocked up!” 

 

Toni’s eyes scan him up and down, disbelief unclear as can be as she examines him. “You?...” She doesn’t finish. Once again, her question doesn’t need to be answered, doesn’t demand an explanation. It hangs in the air. 

 

“There’s a reason I go to the LGBT club meetings, Toni. it’s not  _ just _ questioning sexuality.” 

 

Jellybean raises a brow. “What’s that mean,” she asks, confused. 

 

“Well, for one, it means I’m transgender,” he supplies, though it’s more for his friends than anything. “But it’s also something that I’ll explain to you when you’re older and we have a talk about the birds and bees. But it basically means you don’t just like boys.” 

 

“Like how I like Sam,” Jellybean asks, confusion just as clear. 

 

“Would you date Sam?” 

 

“Maybe.” 

 

“Then maybe.” 

 

Just like that, the conversation is taken care of, simple and easy. It’s not brought up again, simply mutually accepted between them. Jughead is sure to tell the others just who all does and doesn’t know. He doesn’t miss the way Kevin’s face twists as Jughead announces that his father knew, had been the first  _ to know. _ The night had taken on a calm, slow tone afterward. 

 

-

 

Unfortunately for Jughead, Reggie and Veronica pick up on what Jellybean says faster than he has time to actually realize what Jellybean had said. Their conversation was simple, just the three teenagers walking, the youngest girl sat on the Serpent King’s shoulders as they walked around town. It was calm and leisurely, something so painfully rare. With Archie, the third part of he, Veronica, and Reggie’s triad currently out for a boxing match with one of his friends, the two had decided to get to know Jellybean better, since Archie was already very well acquainted with the girl. 

 

“Hey, Daddy, can you put me down,” Jellybean suddenly asks. 

 

Jughead doesn’t hesitate to reply, “Yeah, sure,” hoisting her off of his shoulders and carefully setting her on the ground. Her hand stays laced with his, her bright eyes focused on the ground passively. 

 

Reggie raises a brow. “Daddy?” He echoes the word, a smirk on his lips. “Since when were you a father?” 

 

“Yeah,” Veronica nods, “that seemed way too domestic to  _ not _ be a common occurrence.” 

 

“Since I gave birth to her when I was younger,” Jughead replies with a shrug. Thankfully for him, he manages to keep a tame poker face. It masks the boiling anxiety within a perfect instant. 

 

Reggie raises a brow. “So that means that you have a-” 

 

Veronica steps on his toe before he can finish.  _ “Yes, _ Reggie, but you shouldn’t ask like that!” She grits her teeth, halfheartedly glaring. Despite that, her scolding holds no actual anger to it, simply there and existing. 

 

Jughead shakes his head slowly. “No, no, he’s fine, people have asked it worse before.” He shrugs, a smile breaking through.  _ Acceptance. _ “When I was younger, I looked like a butch lesbian, so, I got that a lot more than you’d think. Thought I was one, too, but that’s not the point here.” 

 

Jellybean looks like she wants to ask what that means, but instead holds back. Her eyes dart between the three before she tugs on the sleeve of Jughead’s coat, specifically the one wrapped around his waist. He turns towards her and hums. Her simple answer to his unspoken question is, “I want back up.” 

 

-

 

Betty finds out on accident. She never should have found out, not how she had, but she had all the same. 

 

Jughead sighs as he runs his hands over the DNA test. He had submitted it so long ago when he had found out that the name of Forsythia's supposed father didn’t even actually exist. He feels his stomach curl with nerves, angry as can be beneath angry, red flesh, scratched raw from anxiety. He tears into it, the name on the paper strikingly familiar. He can feel the bile rise in his throat and he’s suddenly incredibly thankful that Jellybean was still at school, that she still had a bit before FP would pick her up. 

 

He drops the paper, running to the bathroom. He heaves into the toilet, throat burning, lungs and stomach contracting in the agony that was known as gagging. He vomits, tears dribbling down his face. Somewhere along that, a hand rubs the base of his back, calm and unspoken. He’s thankful for it. 

 

_ Subjects Name: Forsythia Pendelton Jones The Fourth, “Jellybean” _

 

_ Surrogate / Mother: Forsythe [previously Forsythia]  Pendleton Jones The Third, “Jughead” _

 

_ Doner / Father: Charles Smith  _

 

The paper crinkles as it’s dropped beside him on the floor, clearly read. Jughead only sees the corner of it as he dry heaves for the seventh time, stomach slowly calming as he chokes down yet another disgusted sob. Slowly, he forces himself to calm down, an arm from the stranger slowly snaking over him to flush the toilet. He doesn’t comment, keeping his eyes closed and breathing regulated. 

 

It must have been at least a full twenty minutes before he was finally calm enough for his sobs to be nothing more than hiccups. When he looks up, he doesn’t jump, doesn’t cower. Instead, he’s just greeted with Betty, who seems to be just as caring as she ever was. 

 

They both knew about Charles, knew who his  _ actual _ parents were. Jughead had seen his medical file as well as birth certificate before. This only seems to solidify just how horrid their town had become, already  _ was. _

 

“Guess this means our entire family is pretty fucked up,” Betty mumbles. 

 

Jughead scoffs. It’s calm, somewhat domestic. Betty moves to get Jughead his toothbrush, passing it over to him without commenting on the fact that he was vomiting only moments beforehand. Instead, she supplies a calm, “You need to get your binder off, you’ve had it on since four this morning and it’s almost three now.” 

 

The other flinches as he realizes just how long he had been wearing it. He moves to get it off, shirt discarded and Betty turned around, back facing his own. After a moment, Jughead mumbles a quiet, “I’m stuck.” 

 

Betty laughs softly, moving to undo the clasps with a smile on her face. After that, she closes her eyes, deft hands pulling the binder away with trained know-how. She had helped him out enough to be able to know how to get it off quick. As soon as it’s off, she presses his shirt into his hands, smiling softly. 

 

“I’m sorry I didn’t-” 

 

“Don’t,” Betty interrupts. Jughead’s eyes jerk towards her own. “You’re not obligated to tell me anything, Jug, and this is included in that. If you wanted to keep this to yourself, that’s fine. I respect that. I’m honestly not sure if I ever would have told you if something like that ever happened.” She’s not sure what  _ that _ is specifically, but she knows not to comment, knows that she won’t have to know for her words to still be in place with as much power as they have. 

 

Jughead presses his head to her shoulder, sitting there silently as her arms envelop him. For the first time since he could remember, Jughead feels  _ safe. _ It’s not the forged safety that he had as a child, instead one that lasts, that’s full of comfort and acceptance. Tears silently fall, respectively going unmentioned by Betty, who just lets him curl around her even more. 

 

That’s how FP finds them, sitting in the bathroom floor, as silent as can be, coiled around each other as if their life depends on it. He doesn’t dare make a noise, simply waving at Betty, who faces him and passes the paper. Jellybean lays curled up in his arms, sleeping silently, though Betty can see his expression shift as he read the report. He respectfully shuts the door and lays Jellybean down in her room, leaving the house afterward without a single word. He would knowingly go and tell Alice of his discovery, which Jughead obviously didn’t seem to mind. 

 

Maybe things actually  _ would _ be okay?

 

**Author's Note:**

> Ayyyyyyyyyyyyy, it took me forever but I fuckin updated this. I honestly forgot about it. I've attempted to write this about twenty-seven times and this seems to be the only one that sticks. however, I'll probably rewrite it at some point. once I do, it'll probably be double the word count. So, to those shits that were asking for it, yeet, this is dedicated to you hoes, love yall 
> 
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> 
> Specifically dedicating this to SnowFlakeWrites for the idea that it be Charles who was The Father (TM). This was honestly a great idea, thanks op
> 
>  
> 
> Also, I may make one more part years in the future, yeet y'all
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> Please join my Discord server!  
> https://discord.gg/eGkwayy
> 
>  


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